Principal Financial Analyst (Financial Planning and Analysis)
San Mateo County Transit District San Carlos, CA, USA
- Location: San Carlos, CA, USA
- Categories: Accounting and Finance
- Job Type: Full Time
- Posted: Oct 21, 2025
Job Description:
Principal Financial Analyst (Financial Planning and Analysis)
Description
Essential Functions & Duties
Examples of Essential Functions:
- Perform complex financial analysis, using statistical and accounting techniques to evaluate options and alternatives for cost-benefit and quantitative analysis.
- Design processes to enhance cohesion, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing across Finance and all Agencies and Departments served.
- Under the Manager of FP&A’s guidance, develop or assist in the creation or improvement of various forecasting models. Perform scenario analysis given various financial and operational inputs.
- Identify opportunities for improvement and efficiency and drive alignment for key planning responsibilities.
- Assist in developing and tracking current and future funding needs and funding capacities for the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and Capital Budgets.
- Drive development of models to analyze trends and recommend strategic actions.
- Prepare executive-level strategic financial reporting to various public transit programs with executive summaries, highlights, insights, and recommendations on financial and operating outlook and performance.
Examples of Essential Duties:
- Lead financial forecasting, long-term financial projections, and month end close for effective decision support and strategic financial reporting.
- Support FP&A processes including revenue, expenditure, and cash flows forecasting in partnership with cross-functional teams at various levels of organization.
- Lead financial forecast update by aligning capital planning with funding capacity and capital/operating assumptions including sources/uses and growth assumptions.
- Support iterative financial constraining process for capital programs/budgets and adjust for funding constraints and strategic priorities.
- Consult with staff, external consultants, and the public to gather and provide information.
- Collaborate with various departments (planning, operations, IT, communications, etc.) to provide financial guidance and support strategic initiatives.
- Present financial findings, highlights, and recommendations to senior management, the Board, and regional stakeholders, as needed.
- Provide analysis and support for special projects and ad hoc assignments.
- Compile financial forecasting models for operating and capital programs with recommendations.
- Conduct complex scenario analysis for labor compensation studies to assess financial impact and sensitivity, partnering with cross-functional teams to develop strategies for financial sustainability and labor market competitiveness.
- Lead cost/benefit scenario analyses and deliver strategic recommendations to optimize District’s operations, resource allocations, and drive financial decisions.
- Assist with preparing financial reports and presentations with clear, strategic insights and impactful visualizations for Executive Leadership, the Board of Directors, and other stakeholders.
- Evaluate and propose improvements to financials, data collection process, and reporting.
- May supervise the work of more junior FP&A staff.
- Perform all job duties and responsibilities in a safe manner to protect oneself, fellow employees, and the public from injury or harm. Promote safety awareness and follow safety procedures in an effort to reduce or eliminate accidents.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Supervision: Works under the general supervision of the Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis, establishes goals and objectives and evaluates performance.